Prudent use of antimicrobials in livestock production is one of the key strategies participating to the One Health Approach to Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) being promoted by FAO, WHO and OIE. In this context, a two day dialogue seminar was organized by Export Council of India (EIC) and EU-India capacity building initiative for Trade Development (CITD) at The Grand hotel, New Delhi on 15-16th November 2017. The two days seminar was oriented to create an opportunity for gathering and exchanging information on respective legislations on the control of registration and use of Veterinary Medicines and to stimulate scientific and institutional cooperation between India and EU towards promoting practices giving enhanced guarantees to authorities and consumers on the safety of animal production, whilst contributing to the implementation of strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance.
The inauguration session of the seminar was chaired by Mr Wojciech Dziworski and Mr Tomasz Kozlowwski from the European Union; Dr. A. Ravi Shankar, Director General Drugs, Government of Andhra Pradesh; Dr. S. K. Saxena, Director, EIC and Dr. K. Bangarurajan, Joint Drugs Controller, DCGI office. More than 150 participants attended the seminar representing the stake holders of Indian Animal Health industry, Meat and Fisheries sector, Aquaculture sector along with representatives from CII, UK Science and Innovation network, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, EMA, FSSAI, MPEDA, NCDC, CDSCO etc. INFAH was represented during the seminar by Dr. Shyam Morada, Dr. Shirish Nigam, Dr. P.G. Phalke and Dr. Nitin Bhatia.
The technical sessions had deliberations on the registration and authorization of Veterinary medicines and their controls; use of Veterinary medicines and trade implications; monitoring and control of animal diseases; prevention and control of Anti-microbial resistance. During the deliberations, INFAH also presented the industry views on the highlighted concerns of Anti-microbial resistance in humans and is association with animal health sector. It was agreed that the prime culprit of AMR in humans is the over-use of antibiotics in human patients and transfer of resistance in hospital premises. INFAH also highlighted its commitment to the Indian livestock sector and effective and prudent use of anti-microbials for control of infectious diseases in farm animals.
